Copilot is the New UI. Agents Are the New Workflow.

Copilots are now your entry point to business applications. Agents handle execution, meaning fewer clicks, more flexibility, and unified data. AI is central to modern enterprises.

Work Gets Done Differently

AI copilots speed up tasks, reduce errors, and minimize friction. Cecilia Flombaum, Senior Director at Microsoft, notes,

"These copilots assist every person at work to get things done faster and better."

Agents take it further. They execute tasks autonomously with full transparency and human oversight. Internally at Microsoft, these agents have driven results like:

• 9% increase in revenue per seller
• 40% faster HR case resolution
• 12–16% gains in customer support performance

This is based on live data from real deployment.

Evolving Workflow

Traditional ERP or CRM implementations involved fixed workflows, and changing a process required significant development time. That's changing.

Agents learn from mistakes, identify gaps, and suggest real-time adaptations. This elevates workflow and enhances knowledge management - it's about understanding data context and intent.

Copilot Studio: Building AI Agents

If you see Copilot as merely a chatbot, reconsider.

Copilot Studio is an agent development platform, used by over 160,000 organizations. More than 400,000 custom agents have been built. You can choose standard agents, customize them, or create your own using the same tools available to Microsoft.

This adaptability is key. Be it optimizing procurement or enhancing sales operations, customizing intelligence is where the value lies.

Transformation in Sales and ERP

Here's how it unfolds:

Procurement: A supplier email prompts an agent to:

• Extract order changes
• Check ERP impact
• Review inventory via Power BI
• Draft updates and responses

You approve, and the agent completes the tasks.

Sales: Agents handle lead qualification, draft replies, schedule meetings, and summarize account histories, allowing sellers to focus more on customers. Reports suggest 70% of a seller's time is spent on administrative tasks; agents optimize that.

Leadership: The Sales Research Agent offers managers insights into forecasts, performance, and pipeline risk without chasing data.

Moving Toward Agent-First Applications

Microsoft's Dynamics 365 embraces this AI-driven approach:

• Copilot serves as the user interface
• Agents manage execution
• Knowledge informs actions

This pivotal shift is underway.

Planning Your Next Steps

AI copilots and agents are shaping the new operating model. Start with prebuilt solutions, address key process pain points, and eventually transition to custom agents.

Copilot Studio, Dynamics 365, and the Microsoft Cloud provide the necessary tools. The focus is on execution.

2025 is not a year for hesitation..